Albrecht Altdorfer a German Renaissance Master
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P R Exhibion October 1st, 2020 ‐ January 4, 2021 Rotonde Sully (north and south) Albrecht Altdorfer A German Renaissance Master Painter, draftsman, and printmaker active in Regensburg, Albrecht Altdorfer (around 1480–1538) was a major German artist of the 16th century. Nevertheless, he is less renowned than other masters of his generation, such as Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach and Hans Baldung Grien. The first of its kind in France, and organized in close cooperation with Vienna’s Albertina Museum, this monographic exhibition aims to acquaint the public with the rich diversity of Altdorfer’s body of work in the context of the German Renaissance. Closely connected to humanist circles, Altdorfer was at once a highly original artist, prolifically inventive both in form and choice of subject, and thoroughly aware of the work of his German and Italian contemporaries. Featuring more than 200 pieces—paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures and objets d’art—the exhibition is arranged chronologically and by theme, with sections devoted to major works commissioned by Emperor Maximilian, as well as to gold and silver smithery, and the two genres pioneered by the artist—landscape and architecture. Albrecht Altdorfer, Adoration of the Magi, about 1530– 1535, oil on panel, 108.9 x 77.2 cm, Frankfurt, Städel The first section will reveal the characteristics of Altdorfer’s early work Museum © Städel Museum - U. Edelmann – ARTOTHEK (around 1506–1512). While nothing is known about his training, we are aware of the important part played by the prints that acquainted Altdorfer with the Exhibition curators: work of his German contemporaries Dürer and Cranach, whom he wanted to Hélène Grollemund, Collection Manager at rival, and of the Italian Quattrocento artists who served as his inspiration— the Department of Prints and Drawings, Andrea Mantegna in particular. The artist’s true specialty, chiaroscuro Musée du Louvre; Séverine Lepape, Director drawings—such as the Departure for the Sabbath—demonstrate his great of the Musée de Cluny-Musée National du expressivity Moyen Âge; Olivia Savatier Sjöholm, Curator Altdorfer produced his mature work between the years 1512 and 1520. The at the Department of Prints and Drawings, artist’s reputation was firmly established in 1512 with the imaginative series of Musée du Louvre. forty small 7x5 cm woodcuts entitled the Fall and Redemption of Man, which quickly earned him considerable recognition. For Altdorfer, this print series EXHIBITION CATALOGUE: Copublished by was a sort of experiment that would lead to a change in style: landscapes from Musée du Louvre Éditions and Liénart Éditions. this period and the use of perspective show his art gaining in vibrancy. Around 384 pages, 275 illustrations, €39. this time, the artist also joined the ranks of the great official artists of Emperor Maximilian I, producing work for imperial commissions: he participated in Emperor Maximilian’s Prayer Book, made woodcuts for the Triumphal A rch, VISITOR INFORMATION and executed miniatures and engravings for the Triumphal Procession. These Opening hours: Every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Tuesday. works are grouped together in a dedicated section. Admission is free for all EU cizens under the age of 26. While completing these prestigious commissions, Altdorfer also worked on Tickets on cketlouvre.fr – Become a Friend of the major narrative cycles depicting the Life and Passion of Christ and the legend Louvre: www.amisdulouvre.fr of Saint Florian, which would mark the first apogee of his career as a painter. Further informaon: www.louvre.fr /en #Louvre These works are imbued with a new dramatic power that can also be seen in #ExpoAltdorfer Altdorfer’s drawings and prints from this period. Musée du Louvre External Relations Department Press contact Adel Ziane, Director Céline Dauvergne Sophie Grange, sHead of Communications Sub-department [email protected] Nadia Refsi, Head of Press Division Tel. +33 (0)1 40 20 84 66 / 06 88 42 35 35 Dedicated to the end of the artist’s career (around 1522–1538), the last section will show the commissions that the now famous Altdorfer received from the court of Bavaria while he continued to work for Regensburg’s nobility. Devoting himself mainly to painting, he explored new genres—portraits, allegories and large–scale decorative works—and continued to use contemporary innovations as inspiration. The artist’s pictorial repertoire expanded significantly during this period. This biographical exhibition will also include several thematic sections highlighting the distinctive features of Altdorfer’s art. The first will be devoted to ornaments and precious metalwork, to which he dedicated many prints (23 etchings) that will be displayed alongside cups from the same period. The other sections will be dedicated to landscapes and architecture, two genres that Altdorfer pioneered by exploring them in their own right. He was one of the first artists to depict empty landscapes and church interiors, much like his contemporary in nearby Passau, Wolf Huber. AT THE LOUVRE AUDITORIUM Conferences Thursday, October 8 at 12.30 p.m. Albrecht Altdorfer, Landscape with a Large Pine Tree, Exhibion Presentaon shortly before 1520 , etching with watercolor, 23.2 x 17.7 Exhibition curators Hélène Grollemund, Séverine Lepape and Olivia cm, Vienna, Albertina © Vienna, The Albertina Museum Savatier Sjöholm. Thursday, November 26 at 6.30 p.m. Recepon of Italian Prints in the Germanic World in Albrecht Altdorfer’s Time Anne-Sophie Pellé, Staatliches Museum Schwerin. Thursday, December 3 at 6.30 p.m. Altdorfer and the Rise and Fall of the Danube School Pierre Vaisse, Université de Genève. And also a Study day, organized with the DFK / Centre allemand d’histoire de l’art, on Monday, November 30 at 10 a.m. Cinema Friday, October 9 at 8 p.m. Faust, d’Alexander Sokurov, Based on Goethe’s play. In Russian with French subtitles. 2011, 134 min. AT DOMINIQUE–VIVANT DENON RESEARCH CENTER Friday, November 20 at 5 p.m. and 6.15 p.m. Exhibiting Altdorfer’s Art Under the Third Reich Baptiste Roelly, PhD student in Art History, École Pratique des Hautes Études–École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux Arts. EVENT October 17&18 ; November 14&15 The Cabinet des Dessins et des Estampes Weekends 11.30 a.m. : Exhibition visit 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Demonstration of engraving and graphic techniques Free entry SERIES OF VISITS Dates to be confirmed German and Northern European Art 2 .